dustjackets.com
About the author: Carter Dickson is a pseudonym of John Dickson Carr, known for his locked room mysteries.
Major characters:
- John Stannard, a lawyer
- Ruth Callice, bookshop owner
- Martin Drake, artist
- Jennifer "Jenny" West
- Richard Fleet, Jennifer's fiancé
- Sophia, Dowager Countess of Brayle; Jennifer's grandmother
- Aunt Cecily, Lady Fleet (Jennifer's "aunt" by courtesy only - no relation)
- Sir Henry Merrivale
Locale:
Synopsis: In a late night confab, lawyer John Stannard, bookshop owner Ruth Challice, and artist Martin Drake discuss the idea of earthbound spirits lurking about after a sudden death. They come up with the idea of looking for some - and the most likely place being a prison's execution shed. Stannard has connections with the keepers of Pentecost Prison, and as it has been closed for years, manages to get the keys for an overnight stay.
Drake has been diligently searching for a lost love, only known to him as Jenny, since they got separated after a brief romance during the war three years earlier. Drake attends an auction with his friend Sir Henry Merrivale, and runs into Jenny - learning her name is Jennifer West - and to his dismay learns she is engaged to Richard Fleet.
Drake seeks out Fleet, to try to dissuade him from the marriage. To his surprise, Fleet is happy to back out of it (he actually prefers Susan Harwood). Drake learns that Richard's father, Sir George Fleet had fallen to his death from Fleet House, near the prison, twenety years ago.
Review:
Sep 17 2024: reading now, please check back in a bit.
Also see this review by Bev Hankins on My Reader's Block.
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